Vehicle frame



- R. H. MADDOCK VEHICLE FRAME Feb. s, 1938.

VE TOR )Mnoaacg ATTORNEY m? e 5 EY DB Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE FRAME Application November 27, 1933, Serial No. 699,822

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in motor vehicle frames.

An important object is to provide a frame for motor vehicles which can be constructed from 5 very light gauge metal and yet will be stronger and more rigid than conventional frames employing heavier gauge channel shaped side rails.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a frame having side rails provided with kickups or offset portions in a manner which will further lower the center of gravity of the body mounted thereon without requiring expensive blanking operations or elaborate apparatus for effecting the edgewise bending of strips to obtain the requisite kickup portions in the side rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide torsionally strong cross members which have comparatively wide ends for extension through the box section side rails and attachment to opposite webs of each rail, thereby cutting down on the tendencies for the frame to weave.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a frame having its side rails and cross members all formed of complete box cross section to serve in the capacity of storage compartments for fuel, oil or the like, or may be employed for the conduct of exhaust gases from the power unit or for the conduct of air to and from the body of the motor vehicle for ventilating or heating purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the description and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the new form of frame assembled,

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of one of the cross members taken on the line 22 of Fig 1,

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig 1,

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a similar view, illustrating a modified form or cross section for the offset portions of the rails, and

Fig. 6 is a perspecive view of a fragment of the frame illustrating the modification of the cross sectional shape of the side rail.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a pair of like side rails which are of closed box cross section and preferably circular cross section so that they can be made out of seamless or welded tubing of very light gauge. However, if desired, these side rails may be formed into the desired cross section from fiat blanks suitably contoured to impart the requisite final shape and after being formed up into closed box cross section may have their longitudinal edges secured together as by welding or other equivalent means.

The front and rear ends of each side rail are flattened as at 8 to form them into substantially rectangular cross section, the flattening of these ends being in a plane normal to the vertical plane of the rail, which enlarges them laterally while reducing their depth. After the flattening step or during the same, the front and rear ends of each side rail are offset as at 9 and ill to provide the same with kickup portions for lowering the frame over the axles. By reason of flattening the ends of the substantially uniform cross section side rail, the flattened ends will be of substantially the same section modulus as the intermediate portions of the rail. Opposite ends of this box section side rail, if desired, may be closed with suitable plates l I welded into place for making a compartment throughout the length of the rail or for any desired fraction of its length. In the event these hollow side rails are employed for the conduct of outside air or for the discharge of exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine of the vehicle, the rear plates II can be eliminated or positioned so as not to interfere with this function. If desired, the cross section of these hollow side rails can be square as shown in Fig. 6, rectangular, oval or otherwise and the walls of this hollow section may be provided with openings l2, opposite margins of which are defiected or bent in opposite directions as at [3 so as to admit atmospheric air during forward movement of the vehicle to set up a Venturi action within the tubular rail and create suction through the same or in any portion thereof to draw air out of the body or any other part. This effect may be employed in more rapidly exhausting the hollow rails or for setting up differential pressures therein on opposite sides of a diaphragm or piston mounted therein and used for the operation of brakes, clutch or the like it being understood that atmospheric air pressure in controlled amounts can be admitted to the rail through a valve on the high pressure side of the diaphragm.

These side rails are connected together by means of a plurality of cross members I4, l5, l6, I1, and I8, all of which are preferably of closed box section and tubular as shown in Fig. 2 for the torsion resisting ability of such section and its adaptability to attachment to the side rails. The two intermediate cross members 15 and I6 have opposite ends flattened in a medial, horizontal plane of the cross member and normal to its vertical plane to provide opposite ends of the cross member with laterally extended flattened ends IQ of substantially oval or non-circular section of a size to extend through corresponding openings in opposite sides of the side rail to be welded thereto at points 2i and 22.

In the case of the cross members I4, IT, and I8 which join the flat ends of the side rails, they have their ends flattened to extend through correspondingly shaped apertures in opposite side walls 24 and 25 of the flattened portions to be welded to both. The flattening of the ends of these cross members is performed so that the upper surfaces of the flattened ends will be in substantially the same plane with the top of the intermediate portion so as not to interfere with the attachment of the body or other adjuncts of the motor vehicle. As shown in Fig. 4, the ends of these cross members may be closed with plates 26 welded in the ends so that the cross members can be employed in the capacity of sealed containers and in case it is desired to communicate the space within any cross member with the enclosed space of the side rails, openings may be provided in the flattened ends of the cross members within the confines of the side rail cross section. Due to the provision of non-circular ends on the cross members, the latter form good torsion resisting joints with the side rail and form the strongest known cross members with the least amount of fabricating effort. These cross members, like the side rails may be formed from seamless or welded tubular stock or they may be formed from flat blanks and subsequently welded to form the closed box section. They may also have bends or oflset portions to avoid other parts of the Vehicle. The exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine mounted upon said chassis or pipes from the interior of the body may be tapped into the side rails or cross members and vented out through the rear end of one or both side rails, in which case the rear end plates II, will of course be omitted and suitable openings provided in either the ends of the rear cross members or the side rail for the escape of the burned gases or air. Or, if desired, the entire rear ends of the side rails and two rear cross members I? and 18 may be employed as storage space for fuel or lubricating oils by suitably closing ofi the rear ends of the rails with partitions or by means of the ends of the cross members completely closing oiT the space between the two rear cross members.

I claim:

1. A tubular frame member for automotive vehicles having each end offset in a vertical plane and flattened in a plane normal to the vertical plane thereof and said offset portion being extended laterally beyond the sides of the intermediate portion.

2. A tubular member for vehicle frames having its ends wider than its intermediate portion an offset in a vertical plane and of closed box section throughout its length.

3. A metal side rail for automotive vehicles, said side rail being of tubular cross section and having varied cross section at predetermined points and of substantially the same perimeter throughout.

4. A side rail of closed box section throughout its entire length and having ends of decreased vertical section and increased horizontal section as compared with the mid-section and offset in a vertical plane.

5. A motor vehicle frame including tubular side rails, each having an end flattened in a. plane normal to the vertical plane thereof and curved vertically, and a cross member having flattened ends extending through the flattened ends of the rails.

6. In a motor vehicle, means for reducing the extent to which a longitudinal member of an automobile frame must be curved vertically to form kickups of sufficient degrees to establish the required axle clearance and low center of gravity, including a longitudinal member having its ends curved Vertically and made flatter horizontally than the mid-section of said longitudinal member to reduce the degree of kickup below that required to curve rails without said flattened portions.

7. In a motor vehicle, means for reducing the extent to which side rails of automobile frames must be curved vertically to form kickups of sufflcient degrees to establish the required axle clearance and low center of gravity of the automobile comprising tubular or box section side rails having its ends curved vertically and flattened horizontally to spread the kickup portions laterally beyond the vertical sides of the intermediate portions of the rails to reduce the degree of kickup below that required to curve rails without said flattened portions.

8. In a motor vehicle, a means for reducing the extent to which side rails of automobile frames must be curved vertically to form kickups of Suflicient degrees to establish the required axle clearance and low center of gravity of the automobile comprising tubular or box section side rails having its ends curved vertically and flattened horizontally to spread the kickup portions laterally beyond the vertical sides of the intermediate portions of the rails to reduce the degree of kickup below that required to curve rails without said flattened portions, and cross members connecting the two rails in spaced relationship and welded to both vertical side Walls of each flattened section adjacent the kickup portions.

9. In a motor vehicle, means for reducing the extent to which side rails of automobile frames must be curved vertically to form kickups of sufficient degrees to establish the required axle clearance and low center of gravity of the automobile comprising tubular box section side rails each having its ends curved vertically and flattened horizontally to spread the kickup portions laterally beyond the vertical sides of the intermediate portions of the rail to reduce the degree of kickup below that required to curve rails without said flattened portions, and tubular cross members connecting the rails in spaced relationship, the ends of said cross members being tubular and flattened horizontally to substantially equal the cross section of the kickup portion of the rails and said ends being extended through opposed walls of each flattened section of the rails adjacent the kickup portions and welded thereto.

10. A tubular member for vehicle frame having its ends wider than its intermediate portion and of substantially elliptic section, and the lower walls of said ends being arranged in planes elevated above the plane of the lower wall of the intermediate portion.

ROBERT H. MADDOCK. 

